


Pronouns

by two_drama_nerds_in_a_boat



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Author is Nonbinary, Character Study, Gen, Gender, I wrote this for me but like you can read it too if you want, Introspection, Nonbinary Character, Priyanka Maheswaran is a Good Mom, Priyanka is kind and accepting she just has some questions, Pronouns, file this under 'fics I wrote in quarantine'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:27:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23172424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/two_drama_nerds_in_a_boat/pseuds/two_drama_nerds_in_a_boat
Summary: Stevonnie doesn't think about gender.
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran & Stevonnie & Steven Universe, Priyanka Maheswaran & Stevonnie
Comments: 8
Kudos: 130





	Pronouns

**Author's Note:**

> yo so guess who's still stuck at home and was getting gender feels.

Stevonnie isn’t a boy or a girl. 

Most people get this. Some people don’t. 

And that’s okay - Stevonnie doesn’t expect most people to understand. It’s hard enough explaining the fusion part, and the gem part, and the sword fighting skills. Gender’s an entirely different part, something they don’t even like to think about themself. And it’s even harder when other people ask about it, because in Stevonnie’s head, Stevonnie’s just Stevonnie. They don’t think of themself in pronouns, or in terms of Steven and Connie. They barely think of themself in terms of Stevonnie. They’re just…  _ them _ . 

Priyanka brings it up first - she’s bound to. She’s not like Greg, although she shares his kindness, and she doesn’t understand the Gems. Not the way the other residents of Beach City do. The Maheswarans are all new to this. But Priyanka’s the doctor, the scientist. She’s the one who really wants to  _ know.  _

She wants to know where her daughter is, where Steven is, where the powers come from. Is it magic, or science? A force we have yet to discover? How can Connie be a part of this when Steven’s the only one with powers? How does their clothing fuse with them? If Stevonnie eats a donut, and they unfuse, what happens to the donut? Does it go into Steven’s stomach, or Connie’s?

And Stevonnie doesn’t know what to say, other than stifle a giggle, because that last question sounds  _ exactly _ like something Steven would say. They try to answer Priyanka to the best of their abilities. But then Priyanka asks the question Stevonnie’s never really thought to answer. 

“What do I call you? What pronouns do you use?”

And Stevonnie stops. 

They know it’s a normal question, thanks to Connie - Dr. Maheswaran asks all of her patients this, when she first meets them. She asks them their name, and their pronouns, because it’s only polite, and Priyanka would never be caught being rude. 

But still, Stevonnie’s stuck. They… they’ve never really thought about it. 

Sure, they know what they’re called. That part’s easy enough. They’re Stevonnie. But the pronouns have them a bit off guard. They know that there’s a part of them that’s Steven, and Steven’s pretty happy with he/him. But then there’s the part of Stevonnie that’s Connie, and Connie’s never considered anything but she/her. But neither of those pronouns feel right for  _ Stevonnie.  _ They can’t say why. They just know it’s true. 

In the past, they used they/them - mostly because that’s what the Gems used. But they always thought it was because they were two people. But then Stevonnie has to remind themself that they’re  _ not  _ two people anymore. Garnet said so herself. Stevonnie’s not two people, and they’re not one person. They’re… and experience? 

Do experiences use they/them pronouns? 

“I think we… I think I like they/them pronouns,” Stevonnie says, and it just feels natural. There’s a part of it that’s weird, but it mostly feels like it makes sense. Like they know that it’s right, and they just need to get used to it. 

“That’s wonderful Stevonnie,” smiles Priyanka. 

The conversation floats elsewhere, as conversations tend to. 

Stevonnie finds themself smiling. 

Gender’s a problem they still don’t think they want to tackle yet. 

But at least now they’ve got their pronouns down. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> (it was me. I was stuck at home and getting gender feels.)


End file.
